A player of mine and I are having a discussion on the splash radius of the alchemist's bombs.
This is how I was currently running the rules for the bombs, using the alchemist fire as a template:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/equipment.html
Alchemist's Fire:Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of fire damage from the splash.
With the 1 point of fire damage replaced with the regular minimal damage from fire.
However my player made a point that his bombs when throwing at a square is 5 ft radius. Yet with a direct hit, instead of 4 squares, it's hitting 9 squares, as it hits everything within 5 feet as well.
He was feeling it was a little too powerful, and I can't disagree with him that indeed, it is powerful. It's important to me that I get the rules right, so I was wondering if I am just plain doing it wrong.
His proposal was to have his bombs only do the 4 squares on a direct hit. That way when he takes the explosive bombs discovery it would seem that he is doing more.
Although he's using Strafe Bomb a lot anyhow, so I can't really say either way how much of this is effective.
I am not asking it to be changed, his proposal would be a house-rule of course.
It would be all 8 squares, plus whatever the size of the creature, so 9 for anything under large, 12 for large, etc.
It seemed weird to me that the bombs can splash so much when normally they're only 5 feet.
|
If you guys think 9 squares is too much, you could say that he always has to target a gridpoint and the AC of a gridpoint is the touch AC of the creature with the highest AC in an adjacent square (presuming he doesn't throw a bomb at an area devoid of creatures).
To be quite honest, I find the fact that splash weapons target touch AC to be far more problematic than the disparity between how many squares are affected.
-Skeld
Speaking of Alchemists and their thrown bombs, I'm kinda glad they introduced the Holy Bombs discovery (as now I can semi-play as a Belmont). I just wish I knew of a Discovery to make any damage done by a Alchemist's bomb linger on the area (or those who are damaged by it) for a round or two.
|
|
It's not that powerful.
Why the nerf?
Hitting multiple squares is one of the major points of the class.
It's a limited effect.
You wouldn't lessen the squares effected by Fireball, would you?
It will do less than a Power Attacking Fighter with a Greatsword, and he can keep doing that over, and over.
Unless every other player is built in an incredibly weak manner, he will not outshine anyone.
You wouldn't lessen the squares effected by Fireball, would you?
Not unless there was a reason to alter the area of effect (such as a party member low on hit points being hit along with the enemy or enemies).
I just wanted to make sure that we were playing it correctly. I think we'll keep it as-is.
Thanks people.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I am not asking it to be changed, his proposal would be a house-rule of course.
It would be all 8 squares, plus whatever the size of the creature, so 9 for anything under large, 12 for large, etc.
It seemed weird to me that the bombs can splash so much when normally they're only 5 feet.
It doesn't do more splash if it is a larger creature.
If the target is Large or larger, you choose one of its squares and the splash damage affects creatures within 5 feet of that square.
I am dm'ing for an alchemist and so far have no issues with the splash being too powerful, it does not really do much damage and scales very poorly. His party members on the other hand are not thrilled by his poor aim so far.
